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One might excuse Oliver Glasner for preferring to enjoy a quiet few days with his family in Austria before Christmas, rather than preparing for Crystal Palace's 29th game of the season—a League Cup last-eight clash with Arsenal. However, the suggestion that Palace could focus on other tournaments was swiftly rejected by their head coach.

"Absolutely not, I do not believe that," declared Glasner after his team's side's four-one loss to Leeds. "If somebody tells me that we lose deliberately, the next day I'm no longer the manager anymore."

There exists a clear difference in Glasner's approach to cup tournaments compared to his predecessor, Roy Hodgson. This initially became clear during Palace's journey to the League Cup last eight in his debut complete campaign in charge. Under Hodgson, the club had already been eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup when Glasner took over at Selhurst Park. In contrast, Glasner picked his best lineup for wins over Norwich, QPR, and Aston Villa, setting up a showdown with Arsenal.

That prior quarter-final match ended in a 3-2 loss at the Emirates Stadium, due to a slightly controversial hat-trick from Gabriel Jesus, even though Palace having been ahead at the interval. Now, Glasner now faces the task to figure out a strategy for payback versus the present Premier League pace-setters in a match that was rescheduled to this week owing to European obligations.

A Price of Achievement and Continental Exhaustion

Glasner has, in a sense, been a casualty of his own achievements. Guiding Palace to their first major trophy with victory in the FA Cup final subsequently ushered in the rigors of European football for the very first time. These demands are taking a toll on several exhausted squad members, many of whom have hardly had a rest all season.

The coach fielded an completely different team, including four youngsters, in their final Conference League fixture. Yet, ahead of the Arsenal game, he conceded he will have "no option" but to select the majority of his preferred side, which appeared extremely lethargic as they uncharacteristically let in four goals from set-pieces against Leeds. "Have to. Yes, have to," he said.

The Gunners' Perspective and Team Dilemmas

On Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, the circumstances are distinct. The boss must balance his desire to win a second major trophy with considerable practicality. Last year, a hamstring injury to Bukayo Saka suffered in a league game against Palace only days after their Carabao Cup comeback greatly damaged their title hopes.

Arteta had made several changes for that League Cup match but was forced to bring on his "big-hitters" after the break. Saka was introduced from the bench to set up Jesus for a crucial goal in a passage of play that left Glasner "incensed" over a potential offside, with no VAR in operation—a situation that will repeat again on Tuesday.

Arsenal are on an eight-game unbeaten run against Palace, including seven victories. Gabriel Jesus, who netted a hat-trick in the previous campaign's League Cup encounter and two in a later league win before sustaining a long-term knee injury, looks set to start for the first time since then injury. Arteta disclosed the forward wrote a "beautiful" letter to his teammates about what football means to him.

"We're accustomed to it," commented Arteta on the congested schedule. "I think this week was the only full week we had to get ready. The rest until February at least is will be similar. We have a beautiful opportunity to go into the last four of a tournament so we will be prepared."

Amid important players returning from injury and a desire to advance, Arsenal pose a daunting test for a Palace side desperately in need of rejuvenation as the holiday period intensifies.